May 2009 Archives
Now they followed it up with a giant sing song in Trafalgar Square, including a few celebrities. The advertisement played in Britain during the popular show 'Britain's Got Talent'. They even had teaser advertisments running in the lead upo to the advertisement being played, yes you heard right, ads for ads.
This is nothing shortof advertising genius, you create a spectacle, the first thing people do is take out their mobile phones, they film it, they call friends, they make the products claim come true - mobile phones they connect people, they bring us together. The event they have created is of course one big comming together moment, it's a world peace, we're all in it together moment.
We often said that event TV would be the type of programming that would draw big audiences in the future - and this is a great example of event advertising.
Artist Jen Jamieson and FTI’s Screen Events Manager Liz Sideris both review Australian feature My Year Without Sex, opening in cinemas 28 May. Set over the course of one messy year, My Year Without Sex follows couple Ross and Natalie as they cope with their two kids, job insecurity and nits, and wonder if they will ever have sex again.
JEN’S REVIEW
I wasn’t actually expecting to enjoy this film after seeing the previews a few weeks ago: another quirky Australian comedy-drama with implausible characters and situations I sighed. However as soon as the bouncy opening credits and music began I sat upright and felt more alert. Oh; cute opening titles, and great song!
Written and directed by Sarah Watt (LOOK BOTH WAYS) comes this comedy starring Matt Day and Sacha Horler. There was a large crowd in attendance for the Sunday afternoon ‘Talking Pictures’ screening and everyone stayed afterwards for the Q&A.
I enjoyed this film; I smiled a lot and recognised the situations and people on screen. Sarah’s direction of the children was especially enjoyable in contrast to recently seen ACOLYTES where I felt the performances of the young actors let that genre film down. MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX is a character driven film exploring a somewhat simple premise in a sophisticated and caring way. This film won’t change my life; it didn’t move me in the intense way that Samson & Delilah has just done, but it is lovely filmmaking and storytelling. I thought about my own life. Would I recommend it? Yes, see this film. You even find yourself singing along to Little Birdy’s “You’re Beautiful” with what sounds like the rest of the cast.
The ‘Talking Picture’ events are always a great way to see a film because of the insight into the film-maker and the depth of understanding you can get from listening to them. Sarah Watts’ love of music and life came through in her discussion and shone a glowing light on her filmmaking processes. She humbly calls herself a beginner, which suggests there’ll be many more beautiful filmic offerings from this writer-director.
Jen Jamieson loves films, and has studied film and made short films. She loves sitting in the dark.
LIZ’S REVIEW
I was really excited by Watt’s debut feature ‘Look Both Ways’. I felt that here was a filmmaker who could give a slightly off centre insight into ordinary people’s lives. In ‘My Year Without Sex’ she once again explores the lives of ordinary Australians, but the result is just that. Ordinary.
The title of this film suggests that a whole year without sex will be difficult for the couple at the centre of the film. I felt the concept fell flat and didn’t live up to it’s dramatic potential. The family has so many things to deal with that sex is really at the bottom of the list. It’s not that I was expecting sexual hijinx or anything – I think there was room in this film to explore what happens to a couple when they can’t have sex for a year. How does their relationship change? None of that is in this film.
Instead we get hints of bigger issues, none of which go anywhere. Ross (Matt Day) and Natalie (Sascha Horler) star as a couple who’s lives resemble most working class nuclear families. Then Natalie has an aneurism, saved only by the fact she’s having a routine pap smear at a doctor’s surgery at the time. She is told it will take a year for her brain to recover fully from the trauma and in the mean time avoid sneezing, taking drugs and having sex.
In the year that follows, we see the struggling families ups and downs. Many family issues are hinted at: the sexualisation of children, the concept of death, competitive sports, but none are really explored.
The actors were wonderfully natural, the makeup was superb (Sascha Horler’s character undergoes brain surgery in the early part of the film), and there were some funny insights into suburban family life. But the characters didn’t really undergo anything profound or worth seeing. We start with a happy ‘Aussie battler’ family, we end with a happy ‘Aussie battler’ family.
Yes it’s a portrait of the every day life of a family. But I can watch that at home for free.
Liz Sideris curates, manages, coordinates, and publicises FTI events. She is really particular about having her photo taken and morally objects to the use of jet skis.
